Jermaine Jackson
Jermaine La Jaune Jacksun (né Jackson; born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, bass guitarist, composer, member of The Jackson 5, and occasional film director. He also produced and recorded duets with American singer Whitney Houston in her early years as a recording artist and was a producer for Bobby DeBarge's band Switch. Early life[edit source | editbeta] Jackson is the fourth child of Joseph and Katherine Jackson. He was born December 11, 1954 in Gary, Indiana, after his brother Tito Jackson. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, La Toya, Marlon, Michael, Randy, and Janet.[1] He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his devout mother, but he converted to Islam in 1989 after a trip to Bahrain. Jermaine was the original lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the Jackson Brothers—an earlier incarnation of The Jackson Five—until 1968, when younger brother Michael began assisting with lead vocals. He remained the lead vocalist with Michael for many years. Jackson graduated from Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California in 1973.[2] Career[edit source | editbeta] The Jackson 5[edit source | editbeta] Jermaine and his brothers signed with Motown Records in 1968. As the co-lead singer of The Jackson 5 after his brother Michael, Jermaine sang notable parts of "I Want You Back", "I'll Be There", "The Love You Save","Dancing Machine", and many other Jackson 5 songs. In 1975, after performing for six years with his brothers, Jermaine split from the Jackson 5 to continue his solo career at Motown Records, while the other Jackson brothers left to sign with Epic Records. In 1983, he reunited with his brothers for the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. After the success of the broadcast, he rejoined the band to record the album Victory and participated in the Victory Tour. He stayed with the group for their final album, 2300 Jackson Street, in 1990. In 2001, he reunited with his brothers to perform for the 30th Anniversary Special. Solo career[edit source | editbeta] Like Michael, Jermaine began a solo career while still a member of The Jackson 5, and had a hit with the 1972 Shep and the Limelites cover "Daddy's Home". It sold over one million copies by March 1973, and was awarded a gold disc.[3] When The Jackson 5 left Motown, Jermaine left the group and stayed at Motown, as he had married Hazel Gordy, and Motown head Berry Gordy was his father-in-law. In 2009, Jermaine claimed on the family reality series The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, it was because "Motown was gonna make us like the Beatles. We were the Jackson 5 and that's all I wanted."[citation needed] Jermaine was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his 1980 album Let's Get Serious. He had a number of Billboard Top 30 hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including "Daddy's Home" (#9), "That's How Love Goes", "Let's Be Young Tonight", "Bass Odyssey", "Feel the Fire", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy" (featuring Devo on backing vocals) (#18), "Let's Get Serious" (#9, also one of his only two UK hits, peaking at #8), "Dynamite" (#15), "Do What You Do" (#13), and "I Think It's Love" (#16). A duet with his brother Michael, "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)", hit No. 1 on the dance chart in 1984. He and Michael also collaborated withRockwell, both providing guest vocals on his 1984 hit single, "Somebody's Watching Me". In 1985, his duet with Pia Zadora, "When the Rain Begins to Fall", topped several singles charts in Europe. His final chart success, 1989's "Don't Take It Personal", hit (#1) on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Some of Jermaine's finest moments as a singer can be heard in the soulful "Castle of Sand" and the Earth Wind & Fire-inspired "You Need To Be Loved".[citation needed] Jackson is proficient on the electric guitar and is a talented bass guitar player. At an early age he performed the parts of legendary bass player James Jamerson, etc., when J5 performed live.[citation needed] Jermaine also composed and produced for other artists, such as Switch, and he produced and sang a couple of duets on Whitney Houston's debut album on Arista Records. In 1992, he produced The Jacksons: An American Dream, an award-winning and highly rated miniseries about the history of The Jackson 5. Jermaine Jr. portrayed his father as a young teenager in the miniseries.[citation needed] Reality television[edit source | editbeta] ''Celebrity Big Brother''[edit source | editbeta] Jackson was the first housemate to enter the Celebrity Big Brother UK house in 2007. He steered clear of the controversy caused by the series, avoiding confrontation and offering moral support to fellow housemate Shilpa Shetty against alleged bullying from fellow housemates Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara, and Danielle Lloyd. He was often considered to be the most stable-minded in the house.[citation needed] During a task in the Big Brother house, the housemates had to create a tribute band for The Jackson 5. The performance of "I Want You Back" helped put The Jackson 5 back in the UK charts at #53.[citation needed] The final three consisted of Dirk Benedict, Jackson, and Shetty. After leaving Big Brother,[4] Jackson did several interviews on UK television, stating why and how he took his peaceful and mediating stance in the Big Brother house. He also spoke about the Jackson 5 reuniting for a performance.[citation needed] ''Gone Country''[edit source | editbeta] Jackson was part of the second season of the CMT reality show Gone Country.[citation needed] Later works[edit source | editbeta] He is currently involved in several charity projects and has been working on initiatives to help orphaned children around the world. Among other countries, he has visited Bangladesh as part of his work to raise funds and help children.[citation needed] In April 2007, Jackson returned to the UK to take part in a one-off special of ITV's Challenge Anneka. On the same trip he appeared in Glasgow with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, speaking in support of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searchlight_(magazine) Searchlight magazine's]anti-racism campaign, the Daily Mirror "Hope Not Hate bus".[5] On November 23, 2007, Jackson appeared on Katie & Peter: Unleashed and again talked of a reunion with his brothers on a tour the following year. In 2008, Jackson flew to Australia to be a guest judge and mentor for the top 5 Michael Jackson night on Australian Idol. In March 2008, Jackson was the guest of honor at the Muslim Writers Awards in Birmingham. In 2009, following the death of his brother Michael, Jermaine appeared on the A&E television series The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty documenting what was supposed to be a 40th anniversary reunion between Jermaine and his brothers. The series lasted one season and Jermaine, along with his three surviving brothers, was listed as an executive producer. In October 2010, Jermaine played a concert at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas, titling it "40 Years of Jackson Music" and dedicating the concert to Michael. He wrote the memoir You Are Not Alone: Michael Through a Brother's Eyes.[6] Jackson converted to Islam in 1989 after a trip to Bahrain[7][8] and publicly expressed his religious beliefs during his appearance on Big Brother. While filming the program, Jacksun prayed and fasted. He also expressed his hopes to convert his brother Michael to Islam, saying it would provide him with peace and help to heal his problems.[9][10][11] He supported his brother Michael Jackson, during the 2005 child-abuse trial. He came to Michael's defense on CNN's Larry King Live and appeared with him in court on many occasions. On June 25, 2009, Jermaine held a press conference at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and broke the news of Michael Jackson's death to the media.[citation needed] Jackson attended the memorial service for his brother Michael on July 7, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. He acted as a pallbearer, and performed the song "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin, which was believed to be his brother's favorite song, in tribute.[12] In a 2012 interview with Luka Neskovic, for The Huffington Post, Jackson said that his brother planned a reunion with him: "... the plan was to do some shows with the brothers as well, after he finished his commitment with the "This Is It", and we probably gonna do some songs with him on the "This Is It" tour''.[13]'' In October 2012, Jackson released I Wish You Love, his first solo album in 21 years, consisting mostly of jazz covers.[14] Personal life[edit source | editbeta] On December 15, 1973, Jackson married Hazel Joy Gordy, who is the daughter of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy.[15][16] The couple had three children together: Jermaine La Jaune "Jay" Jackson, Jr. (born January 27, 1977), Autumn Joi Jackson (born June 16, 1978), and Jaimy Jermaine Jackson (born March 17, 1987). Jackson had a relationship beginning in 1986 with Margaret Maldonado during his marriage to Hazel. After his divorce from Gordy in 1988, Jackson began living with Maldonado, and he had two children with Margaret: Jeremy Maldonado Jackson (born December 26, 1986) and Jourdynn Michael Jackson (born January 5, 1989).[citation needed] After separating from Maldonado, Jackson began a relationship with Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza, who has two children with Randy: daughter Genevieve and son Steven, Jr. She also has three sons with Jermaine: Donte Randall Jackson (adopted, born June 13, 1992), Jaafar Jeremiah Jackson (born July 25, 1996), and Jermajesty Jackson (born October 3, 2000).[7] Jacksun married Halima Rashid,[17] a wealthy Afghan native. The two currently live in Los Angeles.[citation needed] In all, Jackson has 8 children: three with Hazel, two with Margaret, and three with Alejandra.[citation needed] On November 6, 2012, Jackson filed a name change petition in Los Angeles, from Jermaine Jackson to Jermaine Jacksun, stating the switch was for "artistic reasons". His last name officially became Jacksun on February 22, 2013. Jermaine was always his brothers Michaels Voice in regards to the media In popular culture[edit source | editbeta] In the 1980s, Jermaine Jackson guest starred on an episode of The Facts of Life. Jackson was portrayed by Jason Griffith in the 2004 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story. Jermaine's son, Jermaine Jackson Jr., portrayed his father in the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. In 2010, on Saturday Night Live, Jackson was portrayed by Kenan Thompson. Jermaine converted to Islam in 1989 after a visit to the Middle East and straight away went on the pilgrimage to the Hajj to perform one of the pillars of Islam.[citation needed] His faith was credited on numerous occasions to be the catalyst of this calm and collected philosophy and being the go-to person in the Big Brother house. Category:1954 births Category:Male singers